


A Perfect Crystalline Structure, Unique to Any Other

by LovelyDollParis



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Gen, WARNING: Dark Thoughts and Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 07:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13736202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyDollParis/pseuds/LovelyDollParis
Summary: It's Flora's shared birthday.





	A Perfect Crystalline Structure, Unique to Any Other

"ay"-"rthday"-"Birthday! Birthday! Flora! Birthday!" F-Felicia...

"Mm... Felicia, calm down. I'm awake. I'm awake."

"Flora, it's-"

"Our Birthday; I get it."

"I'd say something about it too, but I think Felicia might have made you sick of hearing "Birthday" already." Milady? Heh. The one day where SHE wakes ME up for a change. I'm still her slave here, but I'll take this.

"Sorry... I'm just excited. The party's ready for us, Flora!"

"Already? Isn't it usually at night?"

"Sorry, but Gunther has an important secret assignment from Father tonight." You and your inhuman Father force me and Felicia into service to you; the very least you can do is give us this, but there's no reasoning to you precious warmongers... Calm down, Flora. Just silently smile for her.

"It's a breakfast this time! Isn't that exciting, Flora?"

"Not particularly."

"Well, hopefully you two will still enjoy yourselves."

"Thanks, Milady. Now, let's go, Flora!" 

"Woah! Felicia, stop pulling me! I'm not even in my uniform yet!"

"Don't worry about that. It's your party; just relax and enjoy yourselves." I've never been able to "relax and enjoy" myself here. Even if you tell me to, there's no way I won't be forced back to work in an hour and have to make up for this time. At least Felecia's happy, but she's never really understood our situation. Part of me always wants her to, but I also don't want her to be as miserable as I am without her ignorance.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FELICIA AND FLORA!!!"

"It's even better than last year!"

"Woah..." It actually is. They froze over the West dining hall... how did they even do this? Are they allowed to do this? They probably just didn't tell Garon. I suppose he'd be the only one to object, considering the other Royals are here. It's not like any of them have any interest in a couple of maids, but who else is Milady going to invite? She realizes a party with her, Gunter, and her four servants is pathetic, but it doesn't seem to occur to her it's just as bad every other day of the year. ...I wonder who goes to her birthday. Maybe the royal retainers too? There might be a real event, with lots of people, for a princess, but I would probably help manage that. I wonder why I never even hear about such an event. ...When even is her Birthday?

"How did you get all this snow in here?"

"We had to gruelingly shovel all of it in, so I hope you appreciate it."

"Yes, Jakob, we do. Thank you so much everyone!" You're the one so devoted to her, Jakob. 

"Yeah, thank you."

"Come sit at the head of the table, you two, and enjoy your meal."

"Yes, thank you, Lord Xander!" 

"Give me a moment, please."

"Of course."

"Hey, Jakob?"

"Don't expect me to be at your beck and call because it's your Birthday."

"No, no. I just wanted to ask: why don't I remember ever serving at one of our Lady's Birthdays? I don't even remeber when it is."

"That's because she never told you. Perhaps a sign of who her most trusted servant is?" I know he's joking, but that hurts my pride a bit... Why though? I don't want to be anyone's servant; if it doesn't get me killed, I'll happily take the title of "Worst Servant".

"So you have worked at her parties?"

"In a way. She... doesn't want me to say this, but it's not fair to her..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you wondered why my Birthday celebrations are much smaller?"

"I thought you just didn't like anything too big."

"I suppose I don't, but look at this huge dining hall, with an abundance of extravagant decorations, and the Nohrian Royals; do you think Garon would approve something like this for two maids he doesn't remember the names of? Our Lady gives HER party to you two. It's her Birthday as well."

"What?"

"She does all of that for you, and maybe now you'll appreciate it." No. She really... Why would she give her celebration to her two lowly servants?

"She really never has a celebration for herself?"

"Never. Is it really that big of a surprise? Our Lady is the most generous, kindest soul I'VE ever seen." She... She...

"I-I think I'm going to go for a walk."

"But they're all waiting for you."

"Milady."

"Yes, Flora?"

"I have to go out. Start with just Felecia and don't worry about me."

"Really? We can postp-"

"No, I'm fine. Just let Felecia enjoy this."

"Alright. Bye..."

...She did this... without telling us... She's our captor; what should she care? She shouldn't... but she does? ...Improving our morale makes us better servants, but... I... think she genuinly cares? ...She's never been cruel to us, outside of making us her servants... but that wasn't her decision. I think she's as ignorant as Felecia. She's... never wronged me? ...She hasn't. Not once. She's never yelled, or gotten angry, lost her manners, demanded anything... She encourages us to rest more than she does to work. Does she think we're friends?!? Foolish. We're master and servant... but we're all she has here. We're her backup family; she can't be with her siblings all the time, so she's nice to us to make us friends, so she's not lonely here. Stuck here... like me. Yet, she never complains. At least not externally, but... I can tell she doesn't resent anyone, even Garon... and here I am renting HER. She didn't do anything. She's in the same position as me. Well, with servants... that doesn't really matter. She... deserves it less than me; she's done NOTHING wrong! How can someone do that? ...'most generous, kindest soul'... How can I resent her so much? No one hates her; how can I? What does it say about me? I hate the kindest person I've met for something that isn't her fault. What have I even done? I've never given up anything for someone else with no reward. Protecting my tribe wasn't even my decision... I just do what I'm told when I have no power to fight it, and then I hate everyone. I've never done good, and Milady has never done wrong. She doesn't deserve the pain she's gotten. All I deserve is punishment. Why do I receive her kindness? It should be someone else; not me. I can't even offer her anything beyond a cleaned bed sheet. All the others can fight. Lilith grooms horses and can probably protect her better than I can. I'm useless... I have to lighten Felecia's load and keep her out of trouble, and do the very little I can for Milady... She deserves my service, and I deserve far worse than a life of servitude.


End file.
